Course description:

Ergonomics is the science of designing or adjusting work tasks to fit the worker, rather than making the worker fit the job.  It considers physical, physiological, biomechanical and psychosocial factors of workers as they relate to the design and placement of equipment, work practices and work methods.

Musculoskeletal disorders are typically the result of accumulated tissue damage due to daily wear & tear associated with our work activities. Basically, the tissue tolerance or threshold has been exceeded. They have also been referred to as repetitive strain injuries, repetitive motion injuries, and cumulative trauma disorders.

Supervisors play a key role in injury reduction. This course will introduce Supervisors to MSD risk assessment tools, a prioritization matrix and a cost-benefit matrix, designed to help you maximize the available resources and help guide your organization towards cost-effective solutions.

All of the material presented is designed to work within WorkSafeBC Regulation Part 4, MSI Guidelines.

Course objectives:

1. Understand key terms such as ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).
2. Become familiar with MSD risk assessment tools to assist your organization in identifying and eliminating MSD hazards, or to minimize their risk through effective MSD controls.
3. Learn how to implement a systematic MSD reduction process:
   1. Identify Hazards
   2. Assess Risks
   3. Implement and Select Controls
   4. Evaluate Controls
   5. Manage Knowledge